Human Osteology Lab, Skeletal Biology Research Centre, School of Anthropology and Conservation, University of Kent, Canterbury, UK.
Research Centre for Anthropology and Health, Department of Life Sciences, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal.
Am J Phys Anthropol. 2020 Feb;171(2):285-297. doi: 10.1002/ajpa.23958. Epub 2019 Nov 8.
Physiological stress is one of the various factors that can have an impact on stable isotope ratios. However, its effect on bone collagen stable isotope ratios is still not fully understood. This study aims to build on previous research on how different disease stages may affect bone collagen stable isotope ratios.
Carbon (δ C) and nitrogen (δ N) isotope ratios were assessed in 33 skeletons that retained evidence of infectious disease and healed fractures. Samples were taken from active lesions (long bones n = 14; ribs n = 4), healed lesions (long bones n = 10; ribs n = 9), or a fracture callus (long bones n = 9; ribs n = 3). Results were compared to stable isotope ratios calculated for regions on these bones that did not retain evidence of disease or fracture.
Long bones with active lesions had a significantly higher average δ N (δ N = 11.1 ± 0.9‰) compared to those without lesions (δ N = 10.7 ± 0.7‰; p = .02), while fracture calluses showed the largest range for both δ N and δ C. There were no significant differences in stable isotope ratios when compared between nonlesion and lesion sites in the ribs.
The increase in δ N seen in active lesions, when compared with δ N from nonlesion regions on the same long bone, may be a consequence of altered protein metabolism. The high variability of δ N and δ C in fractures may be related to different healing stages of the calluses. This study suggests that stable isotope data can contribute information about diseases in the past, as well as an individual's response to diseases in the absence of modern medicine and antibiotics.
生理应激是影响稳定同位素比值的诸多因素之一。然而，其对骨胶原稳定同位素比值的影响尚不完全清楚。本研究旨在在前人研究的基础上，进一步探讨不同疾病阶段可能对骨胶原稳定同位素比值的影响。
对 33 具保留感染性疾病和愈合性骨折证据的骨骼进行了碳（δC）和氮（δN）同位素比值评估。从活动病灶（长骨 n=14；肋骨 n=4）、愈合病灶（长骨 n=10；肋骨 n=9）或骨折骨痂（长骨 n=9；肋骨 n=3）中采集样本。将结果与这些骨骼上未保留疾病或骨折证据的区域计算得出的稳定同位素比值进行比较。
与无病灶的长骨相比，有活动病灶的长骨的平均δN 值显著升高（δN=11.1±0.9‰）（p=0.02），而骨折骨痂的δN 和 δC 范围最大。肋骨中非病灶与病灶部位之间的稳定同位素比值无显著差异。
与同一长骨上非病灶区域的δN 值相比，活动病灶中观察到的δN 值增加，可能是蛋白质代谢改变的结果。骨折中δN 和 δC 的高变异性可能与骨痂的不同愈合阶段有关。本研究表明，稳定同位素数据不仅可以提供过去疾病的信息，还可以反映个体在没有现代医学和抗生素的情况下对疾病的反应。
